Power apparatus.



L. E. FISH. POWER APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1910.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

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v Imverzzor Le'anderEJ-Esk L. B. FISH.

POWER APPARATUS. APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 10, 1910.

1,021,241; Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT onnron.

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To all whom it may concern Be it. known that I, Lmnmin E E s'n, a'

' citizen of the United States, residing'at Los 1 tion types of engine either as a four-cycle or i Angeles, inthecou ty of Los Angeles and I -State" of California, have invented a new and useful Power Apparatus, of which the following is a sp'ecification.

. The objects-pf this invention are: economy of fuel; economy of application of the power produced bycombustion.; superior cooling of the parts of the internal combustion eng ne elimination of all crank shaft losses in the transmission of the generated power" to the work to be performed; and maximum production of power for minimum capacity of combustion chamber. Y

The invention is applicable .in various forms to both' steam and internal combustion engines.

The invention may be applied ineornbusas two-cycle engine and provision may be made whereby thesanie engine may be transformed from a four-cycle to a two-cyle engine by simply disconnecting the scavenging valve and inserting a second sparking pin in the timing mechanism.

The invention will be illustrated as an internal combustion engine which is transforinable from four-cycle to two-cycle and vice versa. v

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention in one of the forms in which it may be applied in apparatus having an internal combustion engine as a prime-mover.

Figure 1 1s a plan broken in parts and sectionedln parts to illustrate an engine con structed in accordance with this invention. .The partial. section'is taken on'line wai,

Figs. 4 and 5. The combined piston'and plunger is shown. at the end* of the Work stroke. The parts are arranged for. tourcycle operation. F g. 2 1s anelevation from line mi Fig rlythe scavenger air valve be-'.'

'ing shownin axial section and just opening to admit air to the'lcompiessorat the suction stroke. A fragment of the: -engine base is shown. F ig. 3 a fragmentaliviewinainly in -plti i 1 section analogous t'o Figz :1- showing" parts' of"the en ine"receivingi a chargefof scaveng ngjair .101n't l18 compressor; Por tions of the timing mechanlsm'are in broken elevation; being thus displaced to illustrate in this one view the position of the parts that operate to effect the scavehging- Fig. 4 is a fragment-a1 enlarged end elevation .viddwith a eheck valve 18 to --turn of the fluid.

viewed from line in, Fig. 3. Parts are in positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. Fig". .5 is an enlarged fragmental Vertical section on line m Figs. 3 and 4. Parts are in'thesame' position as in Fi 3. Fig. 6 is a fragmenta-l plan section not ogous' to Figs.

1 end-'3 showing position of parts at the mo mentof ignition. Fig. 7 is a fragmental ,detuilshowhg parts of the exhaust timer in the "position they assume While holding the exhaust valve open.

In ,F ig"s. 1 and 3 the two-cycle contact pin is shown detached and in enlarged'scale.

The power receiving and transmitting elemerit is a combined free piston and plunger having a piston head 1 of one diameter and a plunger body 2 of less diameter niounted in a cylinder having a bore of two diameters forming a piston chamber to fit the piston head 1 and a plunger chamber 4 to fit the plunger 2. The peripheral faces of the piston head and plunger body may he formed after the .irnanner of other piston heads and other plunger bodies; there being packing rings 5 and 6 arranged as required to make the pistonand the plunger Work Without leakage inthe piston and plunger chambers.

The free piston element may be driven by any suitahle inipelling medium steam or gas and may operate upon any transmitting medium as oilrwater, air or other fluid; either driving'hquid again pressure or coinpressing fluid after the manner of .ayliquid or air pump. In the apparatus shown the fluid medium operated upon is a" liquid as water or oil and the'same is contained in a sump 7, a pressure tank 8, and the connecti-ng pipes 9,-10, l2 and 13, including the nozzle tip 11, and a motor Wheel andcase which complete a circuit from the plunger chamber 4: through the pipe?) to the pressure tank 8 thence through the nozzlesupplying pip'elO, nozzle 11, drain -12, sump 7 and suetion pipe 13; there being provided suction -and discharge-valves 14L and 15 to direct the fluid ifroni the sump to the pressure tank.-

The delivery pipe 9 may he provided with apass pipe IZthat discharges surplus Wat-er intothes'uinp .7. Said pipe 9 is also proprevent re- The nozzle 11 is arranged to drive a rotary motor as the Water wheel 19 which is contained in the case 19 and may be of'an'y desiredtype and character and drives. a

'Specifleation 0:! Letters ifatent. Patented Man 26, 1912 I Application filed fiovember 10, 1810. Serial No. 591,708.

- pressureregiilator 16 connected With a by- ,miimcating and the interior of'the 'let 23 communicating t rough a port 24 in thecylinder and through a pipe 25 with a' compressed air tank 26. Said pipe is provided with a check valve 27 toprevent the return of ressure from said tank 26 which is provi ed with a regulatable relief valve 28 to allow the escape of scaven ing air and to retain sufficient pressure to a 0rd a resilient medium toreturn the free piston element to the intake end'of the cylinderi "chamber'3. For the purpose of thus return- I ing the free piston element, the airtank 264s connected throu h a pipe 29having athrottle valve 30, and 't rough a port 31, with theannular piston return chamber 32, which surrounds the plunger bod 2'in front of the annular return face 33 0 the piston head. 3 The purpose of directing the scavenging air through the air tank 26 is simply to maintain in the tanka definite uniform air pres sure sufiicient'to form a spring to return the piston at auniform speed:

i The free piston element has three active faces; the first or driving. face, practically including the scavenging valve 34, and being at'the rear end ofthe'p ston head and practically equal in area to the cross section of' .the piston chamber 3; thesecond or plunger face .bein at the front end of the plunger and practically equal in area to the cross section of the plunger chamber 4; and the third or'return face being an annular shoulder 33 at the 'junction of the piston and the plunger body so that the area of the first active face is practically equal to the combined area of both the other active faces.

The combined piston and plunger is provided with'a scavenging valve 34 having a valve stem 35 sliding through the main cyl- "inder head 36 which is provided with a gland 37 to prevent leakage of pressure around thevalve stem; and said valve is normally-seated in the port 22 by a-spring 38 fastened at one end to the valve and at the other end to the inside of the plunger head 39 so that the normal tendency of the scavenging valve is to remain closed and to travel with the element. The scavenging valve stem is provided with adjustable collars 40 and 41 by which the actiiation of the inder 4 exhaust valve 42 is effected. 'By adjusting the collar 40 alon the valve stem the strokes of the exhaust va ve may be changed.

- The fuel a'nd thc'scavengin air are supplied through a valve 43 at i et-44 from an ordinary aucompressor comprising a cyl-. and piston head 47,.01: any wellknown equivalent thereof. Said compressor constitutes means to supply fuel and air;

and in the form illustrated, the compressor cylinder 46 is provided with a supply valve 48 to admit the supplies of fuel and air alternately, under suction to the cylinder 46 as the piston 47 retreats. piston 47 which admits the charge of air through the carbureter on its way to the piston chamber 3 to supply fuel to said chamber is termed the first suction stroke and the stroke of the piston which draws in air to the cylinder 46 for the purpose of forcing scavenging air through the chamber 3 is termed the second piston stroke. It is to be noted that at the end of the working stroke a determined pressure in the tank 26 The stroke of the will operate against the annular face 33 to return the element toward the main cylinder head 36. During the return stroke of the element the scavenging valve will remain closed and it is necessary that the exhaust valve be open so that the exhaust will take place.

The collar 46 on the scavenging valve rod operates between and is adapted to act alternately upon two arms 49 and 50 of the sliding wedge 51 that moves in a guide 52 and works in a slot 53 of the exhaust-valve wedge-slide 54 to reciprocate such slide. The exhaust valve opens inward toward the free piston element and is provided with the exhaust valve stem 55'by which it may thus be opened against the pressure of the exhaust valve spring 56 which normally holds the exhaust valve closed. During the work-- ing stroke the scavenging valve 34 is held closed by the pressure in the chamber 3 and at the close of 'such stroke the collar 40 strikes upon the arm 50 and moves the wedge 51 into the position shown in Fig. 7 thus opening the exhaust valve preparatory for the return stroke. The collar 40 is adjusted on the scavenging valve rod 35 at such position that the wedge slide 54 will be moved in its guide 54. to act on the exhaust valve stem 55 to open the exhaust valve. 42 against the pressurepf the exhaust valve spring 56 when the fi' e i "iston element has come with in, say aboii t j-half inch of the ends of the cylinder and plunger chambers. The port- 31 is a short distance, say. one-half inch, from the end of the annular chamber 32 so that an air cushion for the annular piston.

face 33 is provided to stop the free piston element on the forward stroke practically at the moment the exhaust valve is opened, While the resilient medium, as compressed air, in the chamber 32 returns the free piston element, the sliding wedge- 51 remains in the position shown in 'Fi 7 thus holding the exhaust valve open. uring the return stroke ofthe free piston element and the collar 40. The space between the arms 49 and 56 of the sliding wedge' l is shorter by spectively; means to admit fluid to the plunger chamber at the advance of the element;

means to discharge fluid under a determined pressure from the plunger chamber at the return of the element; means to apply fuel to one of said chambers under a pressure sufficient to start the element to discharge the fluid under said determined pressure; means to ignite the fuel after the piston has started, and means to apply pressure to the other piston face to return the piston.

A. hollow tree piston element constituting a piston and a plunger provided with a plunger face and with two piston faces, the latter being opposed to each other; a cylinder forming separate chambers for the faces, respectively; means to admit fluid to the plunger chamber at, the advance of the element; means to discharge fluid under a determined prssure from the plunger chamber at the return of the element; means to apply fuel to one of said chambers under a pressure sufficient to start the element to discharge the fluid under said determined pressure; means to ignite the fuel after the piston has started; means to apply pressure to the other piston face to return the piston; means to open, apassage through the element after the completion of the advance stroke, and means to force air through such element.

4:. A. hollow free piston, provided with an inlet and an outlet, and with opposed piston faces and a plunger face, a cylinder forming separate chambers for the faces respectively, means to apply power to one of the piston faces to advance the piston, means to close the piston inlet while such power is being applied, means to apply power to the other piston face to return the piston, and means to open the piston inlet and outlet on, return of the piston.

5. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder and a hollow piston therein, said piston having an inlet and an outlet and means for closing and opening said inlet and outlet, means to force a cooling medium through the piston for the purpose of internallv cooling the piston, and means for applying pressure from the cooling medium to move the piston. i

6. In an engine the combination with a cylinder of a hollow pistonhaving an inlet and an outlet, an inlet valve to control the inlet in the piston and having a stem extending through the cylinder head. means to supply a-coolinp; medium to said inlet, and latch means for the valve stem to open the inlet.

7. The combination of the cylinder of an internal comb'ustionengine, exhaust means therefor, a hollow piston therein having an inlet and an outlet, a valve for the inlet, said valve being provided with a stemextending through the cylinder, a compressor to supply air and fuel to the cylinder, means connected with the compressor to alternately supply air and fuel to the compressor, means to ignite the fuel in the cylinder to advance the piston, means to return. the piston, latch means to retract the valve stem to open the inlet, and timing means whereby the inlet valve is opened to receive air after the re turn of the piston.

8. In an internal combustion engine the combination with a cylinder of a hollow piston therein provided with an inlet and an outlet, a scavenging valve for the inlet, a compressor connected with the inlet, a spring connecting the valve with the piston to seat the valve, a valve stem extending through the cylinder head to open the valve, an exhaust valve, means between the valve stem and the exhaust valve to open the exhaust valve, latch means to open theses-venging valve to receive a charge from the compressor, an igniter, and timing mechanism to operate the igniter and the latch.

9. In an internal combustion engine the combination with a cylinder, a compressor and means to supply the compressor and the cylinder with alternate charges of fuel and air, of an igniter to ignite fuel in the cyl inder, a hollow piston in the cylinder. provided with an inlet and an outlet and adapted to be advanced by the ignited fuel, a valve for the inlet, a stem for the valve, latch means to normally close the valve, means to retract the valve stem to open the valve, an exhaust valve, means to normally close the exhaust valve, means, to return the piston, means operated by the valve stem and adapted to open the exhaust valve and to hold it open during the return of the piston. and means operated by the compressor to time the latch means and the igniter.

10. A power apparatus comprising a free piston, a cylinder therefor, a compressor to the fuel supply, a cylinder, an igniter to ignite fuel inthe cylinder. a free piston in the cylinder, an exhaust valve for the cylinder, a wedge slide to open the exhaust valve, a

sliding wedge to operate the wedge slide to open and hold the exhaust valve open, and

means between thefree piston and the sliding wedge to operate said wedge at opposite ends-of the piston stroke.

12.,In an internal comliustlon engine having a cylinder a hollow free piston to re ceive the impulse and to be advanced there by, and means to open a passage through saidpiston to allow a cooling medium to flow therethrough, means to supply such medium under pressure, and means to apply the pressure of such medium to return the piston.

13. A free piston a cylinder for the piston; means including a compressor to supply fuel to the cylinder; means, including a fluid medium operated by the piston to drive the compressor; igniting means controlled by the compressor to ignite the fuel in the cylinder; and exhaust means controlled by 15 LEA-NDEB E. FISH.

In presence of v JAMES R. ToWNsnNn, L. BELLE RIoE. 

